Port Arthur for Wheelchair Users
Port Arthur Historic Site near Hobart, Tasmania, Australia is accessible for wheelchair users and slow walkers
Details of what wheelchair users and slow walkers can expect at Port Arthur Historic Site.
For a general overview of Port Arthur Historic Site, and why it's a must-see, "Port Arthur, Accessible Tasmania" introduces PAHS, with links for more information.
Accessibility for Wheelchair Users and Slow Walkers
Port Arthur is a big, park-like site on the water of a narrow inlet. It is accessible by car and by boat, and there is commercial bus service from Hobart on the Tasman Peninsula route. Commercial tour operators also come here; PAHS (Port Arthur Historic Site) is one of Tasmania's top attractions.
The site is about 40 hectares in area, with a flat centre surrounded by low hills of varying steepness. For able-bodied visitors it is easily walkable. Given the size of the site, and the many things to see and do there, a minimum half-day visit is recommended.
Paths and Surfaces
Most of the site is a grassy lawn, with paths and walkways for traffic. The main walkways are paved and smooth. Some other walkways are rougher surfaces.
Gradient
Every visit begins at the Visitor Centre. The main entrance is at grade with the disabled parking and there is both an elevator and stairs to reach the lower level. On the lower level you will find a very informative and imaginative interpretive display where you follow the luck of a particular convict as if you were he in the "Lottery of Life". From this level, you leave the Visitor Centre, again at grade, and begin your exploration of the site.
The orientation tour is included in the ticket price. A walking guide takes a small group into the centre of the site and explains what is to be seen. This is engaging and interesting. For slow walkers or others who cannot manage distances, a little courtesy 6-seat buggy makes regular trips around the site.
There is a slope from the Visitor Centre down to the flat central field at the start of your visit. This does not appear problematic for wheelchairs, but slow walkers may prefer to use the courtesy buggy.
Your entrance fee includes a 20-minute guided cruise on the catamaran MV Marana. You book a time for this when paying your admission. There is a wheelchair accessible paved pathway all the way from the visitor centre to the dock. Slow walkers may prefer the courtesy buggy to go this distance.
Getting onto the boat itself may require a little assistance, but don't let that deter you. You do not have to step or roll across open water! There are very helpful friendly staff at the loading point. Enquire at the Visitor Centre if you have any concerns.
The penitentiary is on the low ground. The buildings behind it, up the slope, will involve a short climb. In places the grade is too steep for a chair, but generally you will be able to see the same site from a different angle elsewhere.
First-person account
Greg Killeen, Information Officer for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, mentions in his trip report "A Taste of Travel in Tasmania", that he enjoyed the harbour cruise at Port Arthur. Greg wrote that he has quadriplegia and always travels with a carer.
One concern about going to Port Arthur alone - and this was not something Greg Killeen mentioned - is that you may need help if you are using a wheelchair or need assistance walking, because there may be a step down from the boarding ramp into the boat. However, the staff and visitors at Port Arthur are all very friendly and willing to give you on-the-spot help if you need it.
Tasmanian Weather
Greg had some concerns that the weather would be too cold for him and too wet for the electrical gear on his wheelchair.
Cold is what you're used to! To most Canadians, the Tasmanian weather seems pleasant, even in their winter. As to the rain, yes, it rains in Tassie, along the lines of what you would get in the UK and the northwest USA. You can check weather statistics for Hobart, Tasmania and look at the weather forecasts for the east coast of Tasmania, which includes the Tasman Peninsula. You might also check the adjacent area as Port Arthur is close to the dividing line between the two zones on the weather map.
Today (January 9 2007) it's summer in Australia and Hobart is expecting a high of 32 degrees Celsius. That's almost 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Going inside the buildings
There are 30 buildings on site. Some buildings are open inside, others can be viewed from the outside only. There are fully restored houses and ruins, including the ruins of the dominating penitentiary building and of the church.
The penitentiary building ground floor is accessible, and because the building is a ruin, the upper floors are quite visible from the ground. There are stairs leading up there, open to the public, but it is not necessary to climb them in order to view the building.
Similarly, the church is a ruin (no roof) and although the ground surface may be a little uneven, it is fairly flat.
The Separate Prison is an intact building made of stone, with ramp access where there are stairs.
The isolation cell has a narrow entrance and some steps, which probably makes access impossible for most wheelchairs. There may be some with narrow wheelbases which could enter, for example, a child's chair. It's not the best place to take a child though, given that it's a scary prison cell from the nineteenth century!
Most of the other buildings are not very wheelchair-friendly, as they tend to be small and narrow. Do not let this stop you. Ask at the Visitor Centre for the exact details of what you can and cannot get into. Some buildings have straight corridors with enough space to turn around in at the end.
For visitors with poor vision, hearing loss, or claustrophia, please see "Port Arthur Access - Blind, Deaf".
All on-line references were current at the time this article was originally published on Suite101.com.
